His job is really clearing land for development. The biggest part of it involves clearing trees on a less than industrial scale. Jobs can range between a half acre and twenty. The price of a job is highly negotiable: the land owner might pay a straight price for the service and keep the lumber or if the trees are valuable he might trade the lumber straight up for the service of clearing them. This micro industry is down more because housing is down (fewer lots to clear) than because timber prices are down.

Not terribly exciting but it is a good reminder that you don't know shit about what real people do (and neither do I). I'm a sharp guy and I don't know half of what goes on in this world. but I'm always happy to learn. People who promise to run things from the top down *cough*Obama*cough*Hillary* earn my disdain because they don't want to know what they don't know - that a non-lumberjack non-tree guy like Randy exists.

Stay humble people; your lifestyle depends on it.